“Winning Memphis would be a dream come true and so much more,” Jeff Horton says.

Horton is the founder of the Jeff Horton Band, which formed in Bentonville in 2011, and he’s talking about the band’s journey to compete in the International Blues Challenge. His group won the regional competition sponsored by the Ozark Blues Society and will represent Northwest Arkansas Jan. 18-22 in Memphis, Tenn.

Winning, he says, “would allow us to continue to spread our music to a larger group of listeners, possibly share the stage with many of the artists we admire so much, and most importantly, it would help us to put a spotlight on Northwest Arkansas and the large group of awesome musicians we have here locally!”

If you want to help send the Jeff Horton Band to IBC, visit their Facebook page for a link to their Go Fund Me campaign.

To help support the Northwest Arkansas competition, tickets are on sale for the Ozark Blues Society’s “Bound for Beale Fundraiser” Jan. 29 at the 21c Museum Hotel in Bentonville.

“Again this year, due to the dates for IBC and holiday schedules, our fundraiser will occur after the International Blues Challenge,” organizers explain. “The event is still a very important fundraiser to replenish our account that pays the sponsorship awards to our IBC entries.”

Tickets are $25-$35 for the fundraiser, which begins with music by Skye Pollard at 7 p.m., followed by the Downtown Livewires at 7:45 p.m. and the Jeff Horton Band at 9 p.m. Buy tickets at www.eventbrite.com/e/bound-for-beale-fundraiser-tickets-41538733470.

Roots Fest

And in other news, the Roots Festival will return to downtown Fayetteville in 2022.

“The festival will be an intimate, urban, and fully walkable event spanning three days with mainstages at the Fayetteville Town Center, the new Fayetteville Public Library Event Center, and Roots HQ on the Avenue,” organizers say, “plus late night shows at George’s Majestic, community workshops, and so much more.”

Early bird passes for the 12th annual event, scheduled for Aug. 25-27, are now available ranging from $178 to $299 at www.fayettevilleroots.org/festival. Organizers promise an announcement of the festival lineup in “early spring.”

BELLA VISTA

• A Service of Lessons and Carols will begin at 10 a.m. today, Dec. 26, at the Presbyterian Church of Bella Vista, 1880 Forest Hills Blvd. 855-2390.

BENTONVILLE

• Honey Collective performs from 8 to 11 p.m. Wednesdays through Jan. 26 at Undercroft Bar, 201 N.W. A St. Free. 445-6065; digjazz.com.

EUREKA SPRINGS

• Sprungbilly performs at 8:30 p.m. Dec. 27; an Open Mic night will be hosted at 8 p.m. Dec. 28; an Open Bluegrass Jam will be hosted at 6 p.m. Dec. 30; Divas on Fire performs at 9 p.m. Dec. 31; Vintage Pistol performs at 9 p.m. Jan. 1at Chelsea’s Cafe, 10 Mountain St. Free. 253-8231; chelseascafeeureka.com.

• Los Roscoes perform at 5 p.m. Dec. 28 & Dec. 30; there’s a New Year’s Eve celebration with Alyssa Galvan at 7 p.m. Dec. 31; and a New Year’s drag brunch begins at 1 p.m. Jan. 1 at Wanderoo Lodge & Bar, 216 W. Van Buren. 363-6755; facebook.com/wanderoolodge.

• Route 358 performs for New Year’s Eve at 6 p.m. Dec. 31; and Modern August performs at 5 p.m. Jan. 1 at Gotahold Brewing, 409 W. Van Buren. 363-4187; facebook.com/gotaholdbrewing.com.

• Tracy Lawrence performs at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 29; Sierra Ferrell performs at 6 p.m. Feb. 18; and Lyle Lovett performs at 7:30 p.m. March 23 at the Eureka Springs City Auditorium, 36 S. Main St. 253-7788; theaud.org.

FAYETTEVILLE

• Jerold & Gaby present Afro-Cuban jazz at 7 p.m. Dec. 26; Michael Bewley plays at 7 p.m. Dec. 27; open mic night starts at 7 p.m. Dec. 28; Ben Harris performs an acoustic set at 5 p.m. Dec. 29; awayne@612 performs at 7 p.m. Dec. 30; and it’s Sunday Dance Night at 6 p.m. Jan. 2 at Six-Twelve Coffeehouse, 3980 W. Wedington Drive. 856-6382; facebook.com/sixtwelvecoffeehouseandbar.

• A New Year’s Eve Happy Hour with Full House starts at 6 p.m. Dec. 31; an Arkansauce New Year’s Eve Bash starts at 9 p.m. Dec. 31; Ghost Cities performs with Fight Dream and The Salesman at 8:30 p.m. Jan. 6; Earl & Them play happy hour at 6 p.m. Jan. 7; and the Ben Del Shreve Band performs at 9 p.m. Jan. 7 at George’s Majestic Lounge, 519 W. Dickson St. 527-6618; georgesmajesticlounge.com.

• “Phoenix Ascending” will be the next program for the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 22; comic Trey Kennedy brings his “Are You For Real? Tour” to town at 7 p.m. Feb. 5; and the Sullivan Fortner Trio performs at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 18 at Walton Arts Center, 495 W. Dickson St. 443-5600; waltonartscenter.org.

FORT SMITH

• Cody Hibbard and Chad Cooke Band perform at 8:30 p.m. Jan. 15; and RC & The Ambers perform with Kyle Nix and the 38’s and special guest Lance Roark at 7 p.m. Jan. 22 at The Majestic, 817 Garrison Ave. 551-2424; majesticfortsmith.com.

• The Cadillac Three with Ben Chapman perform Feb. 4; Frank Foster performs Feb. 18; and Cheat Codes perform Feb. 20 at Temple Live, 200 N. 11th St. 222-6186; fortsmith.templelive.com.

• Lyle Lovett brings his acoustic show to Fort Smith at 8:30 p.m. March 22; and the Kansas Point of Know Return Anniversary Tour stops at 10 a.m. Oct. 8 at ArcBest Performing Arts Center, 55 S. Seventh St. 788-8932; fortsmithconventioncenter.org.

ROGERS

SPRINGDALE

• The Chancel Choir will present “Sounds of the Christmas Season” at a special musical celebration of Advent at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 19 at First Presbyterian Church, 100 S. Gutensohn Road. 751-2040, fpcspringdale.org.

• Double Wide Trailer performs at 6 p.m. Dec. 29; and Ashtyn Barbaree performs at 6 p.m. Jan. 14 at Black Apple Hard Cider, 321 E. Emma Ave. Free. 751-0337; facebook.com/blackapplehardcider.

WEST SILOAM SPRINGS, OKLA.

• Tennessee Jet performs at 8 p.m. Dec. 30; Audio Crush plays at 9 p.m. Dec. 30; and Dead Metal Society performs at 9 p.m. Dec. 31 in SEVEN Bar at the Cherokee Casino, 2416 U.S. 412. 800-754-4111; facebook.com/CherokeeCasinoWSS.

TICKETS

• Tickets are on sale at the Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion in Rogers for Tim McGraw, April 29; for KING + COUNTRY, May 21; Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band, June 9; Steely Dan with Steve Winwood, June 10; REO and Styx, with Loverboy, June 13; Backstreet Boys, June 17; Chicago and Brian Wilson, June 21; Matchbox 20 with The Wallflowers, June 24; 5 Seconds of Summer, June 28; Keith Urban, Aug. 18; Morgan Wallen, Aug. 26; and Goo Goo Dolls, Sept. 18. amptickets.com.

• Tickets for Casting Crowns in concert at 7 p.m. March 24 at Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock are on sale. Opening acts will be We Are Messengers and Jonathan Traylor. Tickets range from $19.75 to $89.75, on sale at the arena box office and Ticketmaster.com.

• Tickets for Shinedown in concert April 29 at Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock went on sale at 10 a.m. Friday. Opening acts will be The Pretty Reckless and Diamante. Tickets range from $39.50 to $79.50, on sale at the Arena box office and Ticketmaster.com.

• Tickets for a concert by Bonnie Raitt and Lucinda Williams at 8 p.m. May 23 at Robinson Center Performance Hall in Little Rock went on sale Friday at 10 a.m. Prices were not available at press time.

• Tickets are also available for Weird Al Yankovic’s Unfortunate Return of the Ill-Advised Vanity Tour May 31 at Robinson Center Performance Hall in Little Rock. Tickets are $39-$79 at ticketmaster.com.

Send info about your upcoming concerts and events to Becca Martin-Brown, Features editor, at bmartin@nwadg.com.